Automatic float actuated valve



May 1, 1934. E. RUSH ET AL AUTOMATIC FLOAT ACTUATED VALVE Filed April 18, 1931 INVENTORS. Kuu/v W Baum.

LEO

Was/1 A TTORNE Y5.

Patented May 1, 1934 1,956,656 AUTOMATIC FLOAT ACTUATED VALVE Leo E. Rush, West Lafayette, and Rollin W. Dudley, La Fayette, Ind., assignors to Rush Manufacturing Company, La Fayette, Ind., a

corporation Application April 18, 1931, Serial No. 531,152

Claims.

This invention relates to a pressure dispensing device suitable for the dispensing of liquids and semi-solids, such as alcohol, lubricating oil and semi-liquid grease.

The chief object of ,this invention is to provide a pressure dispensing tank'with a discharge such that it, upon the exhaustion of the tank contents, will automatically seal said discharge and prevent air from entering the discharge line 10 and will also prevent the reverse flow of the tank contents theretofore supplied to the discharge line so that after initial filling of the discharge tube and adjustment of a metering device, the meter will always positively indicate the total amount of tank contents discharged through the discharge line.

The chief feature of the device consists in the discharge line comprising a conduit which terminates adjacent the bottom of the container to which pressure is applied and which conduit mounts at its lower end an intake construction with which is operatively associated a sealing valve that follows the level of the tank contents for the purpose hereinafter set forth and which valve is adapted to seal the intake upon substantial exhaustion of the tank contents.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device, a tank being shown partially in section to illustrate the invention in detail. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the valve and intake foot construction, a part of the valve being broken away to show a portion of the foot in greater detail. Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawing, the invention is illustrated as applied to a portable device and for such purpose, there is provided the wheels 10 and the handle construction 11. ated therewith and includes the bottom 13 and the top 14. The top 14 includes an air intake 15 controlled by an air valve 16 which is usually provided with a cap 17, said construction being of the usual automobile tire tube type. The tank is also provided with a gauge 18 and a control valve 19 which registers the amount of pressure in the tank. The tank is supplied with pressure from the usual tire air filling apparatus with which substantially all filling stations are now equipped;

A discharge conduit 20 supports a meter 21.

having the face 22 and the indicating finger 23. The discharge 24 from said meter is connected to The tank 12 is suitably associ-.

a valve 25 by which the rate of discharge from the discharge outlet 20 may be governed. An elongated flexible hose 26 is connected to the valve 25 at one end and at its opposite end terminates in a valve control and handle, the body portion of which is indicated by the numeral 27, the control lever or trigger 28, the valve stem 29, and the nozzle outlet 30. The nozzle outlet terminates in a suitable fixture 31 which may be of such character that it may beattached to standard receiving fixtures for grease and lubricant. The handle 11 includes the hooks 32 upon which may be mounted a portion of the hose when the device is not in operation, such mounting being shown in Fig. 1.

Communicating with the discharge 20 is a depending conduit 40 which, at its lower end, is threaded as at 41 and terminates in spaced relation with the bottom 13 of the container 12. Loosely encircling the conduit 40, which is a rigid pipe, is a float member 42 having a central opening 43 so that the float, which in the present form is illustrated as a wooden disk, may freely ride upon the top surface of the container contents and move with the change in level thereof. The bottom face of the wooden disk 42 supports a felt layer 43 faced by a leather sealing member 44 and both are secured to the under face of the wooden disk or float by suitable means such as the screws 45, with which may be associated the Washers 46. The anchorage of the flexible and cushion sealing construction to the disk or float is near the outer periphery of the flexible cushion construction, for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

To facilitate the mounting of the sealing float upon the conduit 40, the foot construction is detachably associated with the lower end 01' the conduit 40. Such detachable construction also facilitates the assembly of a check valve construction in the foot construction.

The foot construction includes a vertically extending central conduit portion 50 which is internally threaded as at 51 to receive a bushing 52 by which the same is connected to the lower end of v the rigid conduit 40. In the chamber 54 formed within the portion 50, there is formed a seat 55 upon which rests the ball 56 that normally closes the aperture 57 in alignment with the conduit 40. The ball is normally retained upon its seat by a conical coil spring 58, the apex thereof being associated with the ball and the base thereof bearing upon the lower end of the bushing 52. The aforesaid connection may be arranged to provide for the adjustment of the spring tensionshould that be desirable. Extending laterally from the portion is the base portion 60 which includes a central chamber or passage 61 therein and upon the upper face of the laterally projecting portion of the base, there is provided upwardly extending tubular ports 62, the upper faces 64 of which all terminate in a common plane. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing,'the top and bottom walls of the chamber 21 are connected by a reinforcing web, around which fluid flows. The ports 62 include the passages 63, all of which communicate with the chamber 61. The conduit portion 50 is externally tapered upwardly from the chambered portion 61. During descent of float 42 said tapered portion enters the central opening 43 of said disk 42, and serves to bring said disk to a central position and maintain it in such position, so that it will cover all ports 62. By so proportioning the taper of portion 50 with respect to opening 43, the float may now move freely upward without binding.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows:

Assuming the tank or container 12 substantially full, air pressure is supplied to the tank in the desired amount. When the exterior valves 29 and 25 are open, which control the discharge of the material from the conduit 40, the tank content is discharged by the air pressure forcing the same through the passages 63, chambers 61, check valve control passage 57, chamber 54. and thence through the conduit 41. The air pressure is sufficient to lift the ball 56 from its seat permltting this discharge. Upon substantial exhaustion of the tank contents, the float which has followed the level of the tank contents, assumes the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the flexible sealing construction effectually seals the passages 63 in the ports 62. Additional application of air pressure to the tank merely effects better sealing of the intake foot. Upon the sealing of the passages 63 as aforesaid, the check valve spring 58 becomes effective and maintains the check valve ball 56 upon its seat, thereby preventing the gravity return flow of the contents in the conduit 40, so that the conduit 40 after its initial filling, will always remain full of the material to be dispensed, so that the meter indication will always be a positive indication of the amount of contents which are discharged from the conduit 40 since no air or the like has been included in said conduit after its initial installation or filling.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a liquid or semi-liquid pressure dispensing device, the combination with a pressure container, a discharge conduit therein terminating near the bottom thereof, and a valve controlling the normal discharge therefrom, of a shut-off valve construction mounted within the container including a float slidably mounted upon the conduit and movable with the change of level of the container contents, an intake foot carried by the lower end of the conduit, check valve means therein preventing reverse flow of dispensable vmaterial from the conduit, said intake foot including a manifold chamber communicating with the conduit through the check valve means, and a plurality of upwardly directed intake ports communicating with the chamber and arranged to be sealed by the float when the container contents are substantially exhausted, all the ports terminating in a common plane, a flexible seal upon the lower face of said float, the float and seal projecting beyond the chamber, and means associated with the projecting portions for securing the seal and float together.

2. In a dispensing device, the combination of a container, a conduit extending toward the bottom thereof and terminating adjacent the same, a manifold chamber at the botom of said conduit and communicating therewith, a plurality of upwardly directed intake ports communicating with the chamber, and a float loosely encircling said conduit and arranged to move with the change of the level of the container contents and when the latter is substantially exhausted to simultaneously seal all ports, said chamber extending laterally from the conduit for float retention when the conduit is elevated from the container, all the ports terminating in a common plane, a flexible seal upon the lower face of said float, the float and seal projecting beyond the chamber, and means associated with the projecting portions for securing the seal and float together.

3. In a dispensing device including a meter and a vertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check and float controlled construction comprising a float encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member connected to the lower end of the conduit and projecting laterally therefrom for float retention upon the conduit, said foot member including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith an closable by the float when engaging said foot member, and a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit included dispensible fluid preventing erroneous meter indications.

4. In a dispensing device including a meter and a vertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check and float controlled construction comprising a float encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member connected to the lower end of the conduit and projecting laterally therefrom for float retention upon the conduit, said foot member including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith and closable by the float when engaging said foot member, a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit included dispensible fluid therein preventing erroneous meter indications, and a flexible seal upon the lower face of said float for sealing the upper ends of the ports.

5. In a dispensing device including a meter and avertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check-andfloat control construction comprising afloat encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member detachably connected to the lower end of the conduit, said foot member projecting laterally from the conduit so as to retain the float thereon, and including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith and closable by the float when engaging said foot member, and a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit-included dispensible fluid and preventing erroneous meter indications.

6. In a dispensing device including a meter and a vertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check and float control construction, comprising a float encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member connected to the lower end of the conduit and projecting laterally therefrom so as to retain thefloat thereon, said foot member including an upwardly directed conical portion terminating adjacent the lower end of the vertical conduit, said foot member including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith and closable by the float when engaging said foot member, and a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit-included dispensible fluid and preventing erroneous meter indications.

7. Ina dispensing device including a meter and a vertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check and float controlled construction comprising a float encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member connected to the lower end of the conduit and projecting laterally therefrom so as to retain the float thereon, said foot member including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith and closable by the float when engaging said foot member, a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit-included dispensible fluid and preventing erroneous meter indications, said foot member including a passage connecting said ports to the vertical conduit, the upper end of said passage constituting a seat for the check valve, and said check valve including a valve member normally responsive to gravity and directed thereby into engagement with its seat, and yielding means above said valve member and normally urging said valve member in addition to gravity toward seating position.

8. In a dispensing device including a meter and a vertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check and float controlled construction comprising a float encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member connected to the lower end of the conduit, and projecting laterally therefrom so as to retain the float thereon, said foot member including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith and closable by the float when engaging said foot member, and a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit-included dispensible fluid and preventing erroneous meter indications, said foot member including a passage connecting said ports to the vertical conduit, the upper end of said passage constituting a seat for the check valve, and said check valve including a valve member normally responsive to gravity and directed thereby into engagement with its seat and yielding means above said valve member and normally -urging said valve member in addition to gravity toward seating position, said foot member including an upwardly directed portion having an outer surface of conical form and directed upwardly and receiving the lower end of the vertical conduit.

9. In a dispensing device including a meter and a vertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check and float control construction comprising a float encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member detachably cone nected to the lower end of the conduit, said foot member projecting laterally from the conduit so as to retain the float thereon, said float including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith and closable by the float when engaging said foot member, and a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit-included dispensible fluid and preventing erroneous meter indications, said foot member having a' passage connecting said port with the lower end of the vertical conduit and terminating in a valve seat, and said check valve including a valve member normally urged by gravity into seating engagement for sealing said passage, and a spring free from said valve member and bearing at its lower end upon said valve member and engaging the lower end of the vertical conduit for normally urging the valve member into engagement with its seat in addition to the gravity urge thereof, said spring being readily removable upon detachment of the foot member from the vertical conduit, the foot member including an upwardly directed portion having an exterior surface of conical form and directed upwardly and receiving the lower end of the vertical conduit.

10. In a dispensing device including a meter and a vertical conduit having its upper end connected thereto, the combination of a unitary check and float control construction comprising a float encircling the vertical conduit and slidably supported thereon, a foot member detachably connected to the lower end of the conduit, said foot member projecting laterally from the conduit so as to retain the float thereon, and including a plurality of upwardly directed ports offset from the conduit and communicating therewith and closable by the float when engaging said foot member, a check valve included in the foot member and controlling communication with the conduit to retain the conduit-included dispensible fluid and preventing erroneous meter indications, said foot member having a passage connecting said port with the lower end of the vertical conduit and terminating in a valve seat, and said check valve including a valve member normally urged. by gravity into seating engagement for sealing said passage, 2, spring free from said valve member and hearing at its lower end upon said valve member and engaging the lower end of the vertical conduit for normally urging the valve member into engagement with its seat, in addition to the gravity urge thereof, said spring being readily removable upon detachment of the foot member from the vertical conduit, the foot member including an upwardly directed portion having an exterior surface of conical form and directed upwardly and receiving adjacent the lower end of the vertical conduit, and a flexible seat upon the lower-face of said float for sealing the upper ends of the ports.

LEO E. RUSH. ROLLIN W. DUDLEY. 

